Rolling-skate.



"0,698,281. Patented Apr. 22,1902," A. noun.

ROLLING SKATE.

(Application fixed Sept. 1, 1900.,

(No Model.)

gig/wag I (I f v a j% Z:e2

ALFRED HOUFE, OF RENNES, FRANCE.

ROLLING-SKATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,281, dated April 22, 1902.

Application filed September 1, 190i]. Serial No. 28,817. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LALFRED HOUE':E,a citizen I of the French Republic, residing at Rennes, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rolling Skates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to.

I parts hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in side elevation a structure embodying my inv ention.- Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 illustrates the gearing on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings by letters, the two wheels a and h are. carried by the two fixed branches 0 and m of the forked frame. The pedal e is hinged to the lower end of the forward fixed branch 0 at n, and at its rear end the pedal is pivotally connected-by a pin 0 to a movable connecting-rodp, which is pro-' vided with attachments d for securing itwto the leg of the user and terminates in a curve at, surmounted by a handle 00', to be grasped by the hand when adj usting the device in position and which may be grasped by the wearer when in a stooping position. The connecting-rod 10 receives a wrist or crank pin q, projecting from the side of a. gearwheel a", which rotates on anaxle fixed in the branch m of theframe. The'oscillation of the pedal 6 on its pivotn moves the connecting-rod m up and down and through its connection with crank-pin q causesthe gearwheel r to rotate, which motion is communicated to a gear-or pinion 15, secured on the driving-wheel a through the medium of an intermediate gear-Wheel u, and as the gearwheel 1' is larger thanthc pinion t the latter will rotate faster than the former and carry the wheel a with it. I

The intermediategear-wheel u is mounted on an axle or pin 2' in the outer end of a lever w, which is pivoted at its opposite end on a pin 1, fixed in the branch m of the frame.

The lever to is normally pressed downward by a spring 2, which holds the intermediate gear u out of engagement with the gear 0" and pinion t, in which normal condition the device operates the same as the device heretofore described and illustrated in ,Figs. 1 and 2. When, however, increased speed is desired, the intermediate gear is raised into engagement with gear 1" and pinion t, the following means being provided to effect this movement, to wit: 1: indicates a rod, pivoted to lever w, which at its upper end maybe engaged in or released from a stop m on the handle end of rod m. By this rod '0 the lever to may be raised in opposition to the pressure of spring 2 to engage the gears, as before described. A vertical branch or arm of lever to carries a small tooth or projection which may be engaged in a notch 6 in the inner face of therim of gear-wheel 4', whereby the lever'w may be locked rigidly in position .to keep the footpedal horizontal when the gears and pinion are disengaged.

.To avoid lateral motion of the foot-pedal during the running of the gears, small rollers 4 are journaled on axes fixed in the branch m of the frame to guide an arm 5, rigidly fixed to the rear, end of the pedal.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure'by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In a roller-skate the combination with a frame, a driving-wheel having a pinion on its hub, a foot-pedal pivoted at its forward end to the frame, a connecting-rod pivoted to the pedal, a gear-wheel journaled in the frame and having a notch in the inside of its rim, a crank-pin thereon engaging a hole in the connecting-rod, a lever pivoted to the frame, an intermediate gear-wheel j ournaled at the free end of said lever, a spring normally pressing the lever down'and the. gears out of engagement, and a pawl-arm rigid with the pivoted lever having a tooth toengage the notch in the'rim of thecrank gear-wheel and hold the gears out of engagement, and the foot-pedal ,fixed in a horizontal position, substantially asidescribed. 

